A strong second half performance by the home side saw them beat the Sharks Under-21's 53-25 at Loftus B on Saturday.Scores were still tied at halftime (18-18), but there was only one side on the field in the second half, with the Vodacom Blue Bulls running in four tries.Flyhalf Kobus Marais had a field day, scoring 28 points.Scorers:Blue Bulls 53 (18). Tries: Kefentse Mahlo, Kobus Marais, Marquit September, Neethling Fouche, Pierre Schoeman, Ruan Steenkamp. Conversions: Marais (4). Penalties: Marais (4). Drop Goal: Marais. 1Sharks 25 (18). Tries: Buzwe Mpotulo, Cameron Wright, Tyler Fisher. Conversions: Tim Swiel (2). Penalties: Swiel (2).

Pretoria - Pierre Spies wants to make a strong impact when he returns fully fit in 2015, which could be his final season in South Africa.

Spies has had a nightmare run with injuries in recent years, with thumb and bicep surgeries forcing the Springbok and Bulls No 8 to spend long spells on the sidelines.

He admitted that this has been frustrating, but his family and friends have offered massive support during his recovery. He now has his sights on a successful return to action next season.

“It’s been tough to be away from the game. There have been many lows I’ve had to deal with,” Spies told the MyPlayers website. “But when you surround yourself with the right people, you find yourself motivated by a great support base, one that offers a lot of positivity and keeps me going.

“I’m about halfway through with my recovery plan. I should be ready to play by the start of the 2015 Super Rugby campaign. It’s not easy being out of the system, but I do try to stay involved wherever I can. I spend time with the players and try to add value at training and after games.

“My goals for the 2015 season is to help the Bulls win the Super Rugby title and to play my way back into the Springbok squad ahead of the World Cup. I believe South Africa has experience and talent to win.”

Spies knows it won’t be an easy return to the Springbok fold with the tough competition among the loose forwards. However, he believes this will motivate him to make a stronger comeback.

“The loose forward department is one area where South Africa never lacks quality,” said Spies. “This will make things tougher, but it will also motivate me to work harder. If I can give my best on the field, I believe I will get there (make the Springbok squad).”

While his main focus is on his comeback next year, Spies is already contemplating his long-term future as a move to Europe or Japan could be on the cards. The 29-year-old believes a venture to the Far East could be more appealing than heading north.

“After the 2015 season, I’ll be looking to do stint in Europe or Japan,” said Spies.

“I think I’d prefer Japan after speaking to some of my mates who have played there, like Fourie du Preez, Wynand Olivier and Jaque Fourie. They all love the Japanese culture and the strong work ethic the locals have over there. I’m also told that rugby is gaining plenty of popularity and respect in the Far East. I think that would be a great environment to be a part of looking ahead.

"If I play in Japan, there'll be the chance that I could play further roles for the Bulls during Super Rugby and the Springboks during the Test window.”

While there will be plenty on his plate when it comes to rugby over the next 18 months, Spies added that he’s been enjoying life away from the oval ball.

“I have two young sons, so you can say I’ve been a full-time dad away from the field. And I’m loving it,” said Spies. “Injuries are never nice, but I’ve been able to spend more time with my wife and kids, which has been a blessing. I’ve been able to appreciate the time I can spend with my family.

“I’ve also been busy in the corporate world. I’ve recently done a career practitioner course and I do some life coaching. I really enjoy public speaking, especially at corporate meetings.”

Blue Bull says:
Rabs Mxwale, WP u21 winger, was anounced as their best u21 backline player of 2016.

I hope that Ivan van Zyl and Ppaier can come through next season. we really need a much better nr. 9 there. One of the reasons why we struggled this year was because our 9's did not consistently performed…